Names of African Swords

Jim McDougall · 28th September 2024, 07:53 PM

Extremely well put Changdao!!
This is probably one of the best and most comprehensive explanations of the dynamics of West African sword forms and those tribal peoples who used them that I have read. I like your perspective on 'survivor bias' with regard to the volumes of European blades coming into these trade networks in the 19th century resulting in the predominance of them in these swords acquired in that time.
While it seems to me that the accounts of travelers noting the notably high volumes of European blades coming in by the 1830s seem suspiciously exaggerated, there were certainly large numbers circulating by the periods these tribal weapons were collected by westerners.

With these blades in circulation for generations and remounted time and time again, it seems that the European blades were eagerly collected for posterity in the latter 19th century. We know, as Oakeshott noted, that many kaskaras with European blades were cannibalized for the cottage industry of creating medieval broadswords for gentlemens 'smoking rooms' displays.

28th September 2024, 07:53 PM	#8
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,940	Extremely well put Changdao!! This is probably one of the best and most comprehensive explanations of the dynamics of West African sword forms and those tribal peoples who used them that I have read. I like your perspective on 'survivor bias' with regard to the volumes of European blades coming into these trade networks in the 19th century resulting in the predominance of them in these swords acquired in that time. While it seems to me that the accounts of travelers noting the notably high volumes of European blades coming in by the 1830s seem suspiciously exaggerated, there were certainly large numbers circulating by the periods these tribal weapons were collected by westerners. With these blades in circulation for generations and remounted time and time again, it seems that the European blades were eagerly collected for posterity in the latter 19th century. We know, as Oakeshott noted, that many kaskaras with European blades were cannibalized for the cottage industry of creating medieval broadswords for gentlemens 'smoking rooms' displays.